Review: There You Stand by Christina Lee

There You Stand (Between Breaths #5) by Christina Lee

From the author of All of You and Before You Break comes a new Between Breaths male/male standalone romance about the silent, inked up skateboarder and the tattoo artist who unravels him piece by piece…
Tattoo artist Cory Easton has worked long enough at Raw Ink to know, just by looking at a dude, what his body art reveals, what makes him tick, what even makes him scared. Until he meets the quiet and remote Jude York—so unreadable, so unreachable, and so unlike anyone else, he can’t help but arouse Cory’s curiosity.
As captivating and complex as his ink, Jude is a mystery—and Cory’s falling fast and hard under his spell. Against his better judgment to steer clear.
The rumors of Jude’s past overshadow him—whispers of prison and an unmentionable secret that’s kept him in the protective shadows of a local motorcycle club. As Cory probes deeper, he wonders how much he really wants to know. Especially since Jude has awakened something inside him that has been buried too long—and has him feeling completely alive for the first time in forever…

Publishes in US: April 21st 2015 by Penguin/InterMix
Genre: NA contemp
Source: Netgalley
Series? Between Breaths #5
My Reviews of others in series:
Before You Break
All of You 
Whisper to Me 
Promise Me This

Buy it: Amazon IndieBound B&N Book Depository

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook 

 

    I wanted to read There You Stand because I have enjoyed all of the other books by the author Christina Lee that I have read so far. I like her writing style as well as the romances and characters that she crafts.

     The main character Cory is easy to like. He had some rough stuff in his past, including losing his lover in a motorcycle crash. But he has started working at raw ink with some of the characters from the companion novels. He keeps busy to keep from thinking about his loss of live as well as most of his family. Besides his voice and out going personality, what endeared him to me the most was his close relationship with his grandma. He works about her health and she is always an open ear for him and encouraging him too find a nice guy. She has always been open to him being gay and always supportive. I has a really close knit bonds with my grandma and she also had a huge role in my life helping to raise me and being my number one fan.

     He has been crushing on the mysterious new guy to town Jude. He is extremely quiet and has quite the rumor mill that followed him into town. Cory has two dogs and walks them pretty much daily. On his route is the place where Jude skates all of the time. They get a crash introduction with Cory's hyper dog chopper who took an immediate liking to Jude.

    Cory feels instant sparks but he doesn't know if he is imagining the connection because no word of Jude's sexual preference was included in the rumors. But the two keep running into each other, at the motorcycle bar, when Jude comes into the shop to get Cory to tattoo his back. Which turns out to be covered in scars which is the first clue we get into the truth of his troubled past.

     Of course the chemistry builds but it is slower because not only is Jude quieter, he also is not wanting to bring Cory into his trouble. But the more they talk and keep finding each other, the more it is obvious that Cory isn't the only one feeling the attraction. This one is definitely up there on the scorching hot scale and though this isn't my first lgbtq novel, I do think it is most descriptive in the bedroom.

      They end up sharing their losses and Jude certainly had good reason for keeping to himself until he was sure because I didn't see the depth and complexities of his situation coming though I did guess some of the details.

     I was happy with the way their story ended and though I wouldn't mind another story on them I feel like the plot was pretty tied up and left them at a good place.

Bottom Line: Scorching hot addition to series with two more characters I enjoyed.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you have any ink?

Waiting on Wednesday, WoW

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I also feature books that may have already released, but I am anxiously waiting to read.

This week, I'm featuring:

Rx

Lynn, Tracy

Thyme Gilchrest is an honors student.
Thyme Gilchrest is popular.
Thyme Gilchrest is on student council.
Thyme Gilchrest is a drug dealer.

Like piecing together a logic puzzle, Thyme has organized a complex trading system that enables her to obtain the meds her friends need. They all come to her to diagnose their problems and provide the "cure" -- be it Prozac, Ritalin, Vicodin...She's therapist, doctor, and pharmacist all in one. She helps people. And that makes her feel a little more in control -- a little more capable of dealing with her own frantic high school life. Because Thyme Gilchrest is nothing if not good at dealing.

At lib, just need time to read it

Between Us and the Moon

Maizel, Rebecca *

A luminous young adult novel that evokes Judy Blume’s Forever for a new generation.

Ever since Sarah was born, she’s lived in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Scarlett. But this summer on Cape Cod, she’s determined to finally grow up. Then she meets gorgeous college boy Andrew. He sees her as the girl she wants to be. A girl who’s older than she is. A girl like Scarlett.

Before she knows what’s happened, one little lie has transformed into something real. And by the end of August, she might have to choose between falling in love, and finding herself.

Fans of Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins are destined to fall for this story about how life and love are impossible to predict. 
Expected publication: June 30th 2015 by Harper Teen

What are you waiting on?

Bonus: I was tagged by Kirsti at Studio Reads

Christy and Erica @ Novel Ink created their own tag! As you can see, it's called the Find Me Tag, and it's awesome (just saying.)

• There are 10 categories and you have to find one book in each category!
• You can either list the titles of the book, or the pictures, really whatever you want to do, it’s totally up to you!
• You can also tag as many people as you want, but those who are tagged are not obligated to do it!
• Link back to Novel Ink. 

Let the fun begin!

Gone (Dream Catcher, #3)

The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2)

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1)

A Wicked Thing (A Wicked Thing, #1)

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits, #1.5)

Finding Mr. Brightside

Eleanor & Park

Positively Beautiful

All the Bright Places

Breakable (Contours of the Heart, #2)

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas 

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Publishes in US: May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: YA fantasy
Source: Bloomsbury for honest review
Series? A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Untitled (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2) Expected publication: 2016, and Untitled (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3) Expected publication: 2017

Buy it:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble,IndieBound, Target, Kobo, Books-a-million, and Book Depository!
Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook ~blog

     I wanted to read A Court of Thorns and Roses because I enjoyed what I have read of the first series by Maas and I wanted to try this one as well.

   Maas didn't disappoint. She painted another beautiful world even though it is shadowed. The main character Feyre and her family, as well as most of her town are living on little food in the midst of their winter. That is what led her even deeper into the woods, and closer to the border of the Fae world. The villagers live in fear of the Fae. They spend what little money they have on iron and on charms that claim to keep them away.

    Feyre's family is pretty dysfunctional. Her dad is disabled and the only money he brings in is very little from the wood carvings he makes. Her sisters don't help hunt or prepare the food that Feyre brings in, and they complain a lot. Feyre feels the burden of caring for them because of a promise she made to her mother on her mom's deathbed to watch over them. I felt for her, and wished that she wasn't put in such hard situations even knowing that without these trials there would be no story. 

     On the day that would change nearly everything about her future, she was lined up to kill a deer who had desperately came south looking for food, when she spotted the wolf. She had the dilemma of killing the deer and risk the gigantic wolf coming for her, or killing the wolf who she couldn't put aside the thought that he was more than just a mere animal. But it was basically kill one or the other, and probably both and face possible death or kill neither and face almost certain death of starvation. From the synopsis we know that she kills the wolf, and that is the catalyst for the Fae coming after her, and taking her to their lands. 

    It was neat to get to see Feyre experience the Fae kingdom for the first time. The rumors that were true and the others that were only halfway so, and others outright wrong. It was hard for her to be in a new land of magic not knowing what to expect, and then there is the mystery of Tamlin. He brings her there, and provides for her in his estate, but says she can leave if she wants as long as she stays in the Fae world. There are the little things though, like he is straining to be kind to her, and Feyre finds out he is providing for her family since he knew that she was pretty much sole survivor. So I can understand how the hatred of his kind develops into falling for him. Because there is kindness to him, and he is different from some of the other Fae she encounters. And there is the fact that he spared her life to begin with instead of killing her for killing one of their kind as the law allowed. 

    She bides her time, and tries to learn as much about Tamlin, the kingdom, the blight that is affecting their magic and will one day spread. She is smart, listens and plans for all sorts of scenarios. Through this and Feyre and Tam getting to know each other, we discover the depth of their characters. They both show each other things they thought contrary to humans and fae respectively. The kindness in their hearts resulting from huge pain really helps to understand their actions. 

    I am a little concerned with the possibility of a love triangle in the next because of an alliance made and help found in the least likely places. But maybe it will turn out differently because the character surprised me in more way than one. I am hoping that there won't be because I adore the romance that develops between Feyre and Tam. It is hot and steamy, they have such attraction as well as the element of fate. Feyre had to prove so much with the way the last third of the book went, and it tested her physically and mentally. 

    There were a lot of unexpected twists both in character development, allies that were gained, as well as plot turns that I never expected coming. I didn't want to put this down, and I will for sure be continuing this series. The ending was well placed and it ended a major thread, and left a lot of others for anticipation. 

Bottom Line: Wonderful start to a new series by a fantasy author I already loved. Surprising turns with great character building and one hot romance.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Could you sacrifice yourself to save a nation?

Short and Tweet Review : Off the Page by Jodi Picoult Samantha van Leer, Yvonne Gilbert (Illustrations)

Off the Page by Jodi Picoult Samantha van Leer, Yvonne Gilbert (Illustrations)

From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and her daughter and co-writer, Samantha van Leer, comes OFF THE PAGE, a tender and appealing romantic YA novel filled with humor, adventure, and magical relationships.
Sixteen-year-old Delilah is finally united with Oliver—a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale. There are, however, complications now that Oliver has been able to enter the real world. To exist in Delilah’s world, Oliver must take the place of a regular boy. Enter Edgar, who agrees to take Oliver’s role in Delilah’s favorite book. In this multilayered universe, the line between what is on the page and what is possible is blurred, but all must be resolved for the characters to live happily ever after. Includes twelve full-color illustrations, and black-and-white decorations throughout.
Full of humor and witty commentary about life, OFF THE PAGE is a stand-alone novel as well as a companion to the authors’ bestseller Between the Lines, and is perfect for readers looking for a fairytale ending. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot are sure to appreciate this novel about love, romance, and relationships.

came in such a pretty package with a cookie and a book cover plus a postcard

GR
Publishes in US: May 19th 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Genre: ya fantasy
Source: Delacorte aka Random House
Series? companion to Between the Lines  (click for my review)

Buy it:

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook ~blog

Karen at For What It's Worth and Mary at The Book Swarm occasionally post twitter-style reviews. Karen calls hers Short and Tweet, and I am going to borrow that review style here.

Tweet Review:

It was nice to get back into this world although I didn't remember much about the world building and characters. Cute companion novel.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Which fairy tale prince would you want to come out of a story?

Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, Bought Borrowed and Bagged

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews,  check it out and sign up  here

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged is a weekly meme, hosted by TalkSupe, where I share with you the books I have bought, borrowed, or bagged. Link up with me here.

Currently reading:

The Scorpio Races source: library

Stiefvater, Maggie *

What I read:

There You Stand (Between Breaths, #5) source: Penguin/InterMix via netgalley

Lee, Christina

What Remains source: Flux via netgalley

Dunbar, Helene *

Every Last Promise source: Harper Teen via edelweiss

Halbrook, Kristin *

Fig source: Margaret K. McElderry Books in mail

Schantz, Sarah Elizabeth *

Last Week on the blog:

• 
  
• Waiting on Wednesday, WoW
• Cover Reveal: With Visions of Red by Trisha Wolfe
• Clean Sweep ARC Challenge

None of the Above source: Balzer + Bray via edelweiss aka harper teen Review

Gregorio, I.W.

Bomb Source: netgalley It's not you: It's me

Mussi, Sarah

Magonia source: Harper Teen via edelweiss Review

Headley, Maria Dahvana *

The Secrets We Keep source: Macmillan via netgalley  Review

Leaver, Trisha

New giveaways exclusive to my blog:
Bittersweet by Kimberly Loth and $10 donated for suicide prevention charity of choice

My week: Good, my littlest had her first dance recital, my oldest is tracked out and we are at a theme park today.

What are you reading? Any of my books new to you or have you read any of my books? If so, what did you think?
Also, feel free to link up your blog and mailbox post.